You are still getting up. Still going to work. Still making dinner and answering emails and saying "I am fine" when people ask.
But something is off.
Maybe it is the tiredness that sleep does not fix. The tightness in your chest that arrives for no reason. The way you snapped at your partner last night over nothing, then sat in the car afterwards wondering what is happening to you.
Or maybe it is quieter than that. You have just stopped enjoying things. Everything feels like effort. You are going through the motions, but the colour has drained out of everything.
If that sounds familiar, you are not being dramatic. And you are not the only person feeling this way. One in five Australians experiences a mental health condition in any given year. Most of them never talk about it.
The number one reason people do not reach out is this thought: "Other people have it worse. I am not bad enough to need help."
This is the most common thing our psychologists hear from new clients at Chrysalis Psychology & Wellbeing. By the time many people walk through our door, they have been carrying this for months. Sometimes years.
Here is the truth: you do not need to be in crisis to deserve support. Waiting until everything falls apart is like ignoring a leak in the roof until the ceiling caves in. It is always easier to repair early.
You have been feeling anxious, flat, or overwhelmed for more than a couple of weeks, and it is not passing.
You are withdrawing from people you normally enjoy.
Sleep has become a problem. Either too much, too little, or waking at 3am with a mind that will not switch off.
You are relying on alcohol, food, scrolling, or work to numb how you feel.
Your relationships are suffering. More irritable. More distant. More reactive.
You have been through something difficult and you cannot seem to move past it.
Someone close to you has said they are worried.
You just have a feeling that something is not right.
If you recognised yourself in even one of those, that is enough.
Book a longer appointment. Sit down. Tell them how you have been feeling. You do not need perfect words. You can literally say: "I have not been feeling like myself and I do not know what to do about it."
Your GP will ask some questions, possibly a short questionnaire. If they agree psychology support would help, they will create a Mental Health Treatment Plan with you. This gives you access to up to 10 Medicare-rebated sessions with a psychologist per calendar year. You can learn more on our Fees page.
That is it. No drama. No judgement. GPs do this every day.
Once you have your plan and referral, you book with a psychologist. You do not need to have everything figured out before your first session. That is literally what the session is for.
At Chrysalis Psychology & Wellbeing, we will match you with a psychologist based on your needs. We offer individual therapy face-to-face in Battery Point and telehealth for clients anywhere in Australia, including regional and rural areas. Clients are also referred by Psychiatrists and Paediatricians. You can also self-refer without a GP referral if you prefer.
If you are reading this and thinking "this sounds like someone I know," share it with them. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is not give advice, but quietly put the right information in front of someone and let them take the next step when they are ready.
You do not have to feel like this forever. Whether you are in Hobart, regional Tasmania, or anywhere else in Australia, support is available.
Why Am I Always Tired? A Psychologist's Guide to Understanding Exhaustion Learn here.
Phone: (03) 6263 6319
Email: info@chrysalispsychwell.com.au
Website: www.chrysalispsychwell.com.au
Location: Knopwood House, Level 2, 38 Montpelier Retreat, Battery Point, Tasmania 7004
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